


Keep Me From Winning

by Cyane (orphan_account)



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, George Washington is a Dad, Human Disaster Aaron Burr, Hurt Alexander Hamilton, basically a modern rewrite of the duel ok, philip was alex's sibling in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 06:21:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13094256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Cyane
Summary: "What is it, Lafayette?"Gilbert's eyes were huge. "S-sir, it's..." He gasped for air, frantically gesturing in the general direction of the campus. "-It's Aaron, Aaron Burr, he's gotten into a fight with Alexander!"





	Keep Me From Winning

"No, no, that's all wrong," George Washington interrupted the other professor again, scratching out the idea before Thomas Conway could protest. The other professor's lip curled in absolute irritation. 

"Don't forget that if I had _my_ say, Washington, Horatio Gates would be in charge of the seminar." 

George rolled his eyes. "Yes, well, Gates is in Florida and the administration specifically placed me as the charge for this, if you remember." It had been exhausting enough, trying to come up with a new seminar session, but the fact that the administration had placed George with _Thomas Conway_ , of all people, was touching on his last nerve. 

It wasn't as if Conway was exactly excited about the arrangement either, to be fair, although it would certainly be easier if the man would stop bringing up his 'desired' manager, Gates, who was on holiday for the Christmas break. 

Conway's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms tightly across his chest. That was the fifth idea George had turned down, and they only seemed to be getting worse. "Well then, what do _you_ suggest?" He finally bit out. 

George shrugged. "Obviously, the main purpose of the seminar will be to--"

His words were cut off by the meeting room door slamming open. In came one of George's favorite students, Gilbert. He was panting, though, and his clothes were disheveled. His face looked pale and shocky. Immediately George and Conway were standing, alert as ever; working as a university professor for over a decade had that effect-- they had seen far too many students get seriously injured or killed.

"What is it, Lafayette?"

Gilbert's eyes were huge. "S-sir, it's..." He gasped for air, frantically gesturing in the general direction of the campus. "-It's Aaron, Aaron Burr, he's gotten into a fight with Alexander!"

Gilbert didn't need to clarify who 'Alexander' was. Although George would never admit it aloud, Alexander Hamilton was most indefinitely his favorite student. Although he was not nearly as peaceful as Burr, or as graceful as Jefferson, he was smart and ambitious, and he reminded George far too much of himself, when he had been a student. 

...And Alexander Hamilton was notorious for getting into fights. Usually it was in debate with Jefferson and Madison, although he'd also gotten into throwing punches at Seabury, Lee, and anyone who asked. But Burr? 

Aaron Burr was one of the most diplomatic, peaceful, neutral students George had ever seen. It was near infuriating, reading Burr's essays. Although he was smart, he contradicted himself and took so much time going over every side of an argument that he missed the point of making his own. It was hard to imagine someone like Aaron Burr getting into a fight with Hamilton. In fact, to George's knowledge, they had been good friends since Hamilton arrived.

George's mind went back. It was said that Hamilton's younger brother, Philip, had been killed in a mugging. George had seen Alexander since, and there was a definite change to the enthusiastic boy he had been teaching. It had obviously left a lasting effect on the boy.

He had a feeling Hamilton's following recklessness was playing a role in all of this.

"Where?" George asked immediately. He knew that Hamilton's little gang of friends almost never came to professors or authority for help. It had to be serious.

"Just by... just by the Weehawken Library, sir!"

Ignoring Conway's shout, George ran out the door, Lafayette at his heels.

Instead of waiting for the elevator, George took the stairwell, practically stumbling, four steps at a time. "Do I need to call an ambulance?" He shouted to Lafayette, who was struggling to keep up.

"I don't- I don't know, professor... there was blood..." Lafayette responded anxiously. They turned the corner and left the 202 building, making way towards the library, which was only a ways away. 

Not wanting to risk anything, George took out his phone and called 9-1-1 without stopping. 

_"9-1-1, what's your emergency?"_

"I think I need an ambulance, Weehawken Library, at King's College!"

_"What's the name?"_

"This is George Washington, I'm a professor, the boys involved are Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr."

_"Don't hang up, help is on the way."_

They rounded the corner of one apartment complex. There was shouting in the distance. 

"Merde," George heard Lafayette whisper. They both ran a bit faster. George handed the phone to Lafayette as he came around the bend of the library. There they were, plain as day. Aaron Burr had an almost feral look in his eye, tears and rage almost palpable. Alexander was in much worse shape, and his eyes were slightly glazed over.

"Alex!" Lafayette yelled. Both students glanced up at the sound, and George took the moment to get in-between them, placing a hand on both of their chests and pushing back firmly, getting some distance between them. To the side, George noticed Charles Lee standing to himself, a bit awkwardly. 

"What in _god's name_ are you two on about?" 

Aaron shook his head, face still red in anger. "I have only ever been a friend to you!" He screamed, still talking to Alexander. 

"I stand by what I said." Hamilton rasped out quietly. 

"How could you do that to me?!" Aaron cried. 

"Enough!" George snapped. Both of them fell silent. Taking a deep breath, George tried to assess the situation. Aaron Burr was trembling with anger, and looked about ready to jump at Hamilton again. With a glance to Alexander, it was obvious that the other boy hadn't been fighting back. 

George had seen the boys Alexander Hamilton got into fights with. Yes, it was rare for him to actually win a fight that was physical, but he could get their faces a bit bashed up. Burr looked like hell, but he wasn't bruised or bloody, save his knuckles. On the other hand, one of Alexander's eyes was already in the beginnings of a nasty shiner, and was sporting a rather gruesome split lip that would most definitely need stitches. His nose was also clogged up with blood, which had run and was smeared all over his lower face. George prayed that that was the extent of the damage. He couldn't tell if Burr had gone for the ribs. 

"Alexander?" George prompted sternly.

"I'm fine."

"Well, I can see that you're not, son." George retorted, exasperated. "Lafayette?"

Lafayette looked his friend over, and after a few moments of examination, nodded his assent, although he took Alexander's hand and held on. "It's just his face, sir." He sounded relieved himself, and George let himself relax. There were no life-threatening injuries. 

"Damn," George murmured. Louder, he added, "Gilbert, can you cancel the ambulance?"

Lafayette nodded and turned back to the phone. George looked back at Burr. 

"Burr," he said mildly, waiting for an explanation. 

Aaron was running a hand over his hair, his frantic breathing starting to wind down. "Sor-" The word caught in his throat. "Sorry. Oh, Jesus Christ..."

"Anyone mind telling me what all this was about?"

Alexander was staying uncharacteristically quiet, and George made a mental note to have a discussion with the boy later.

Burr took another heaving breath. "He sabotaged me on purpose. My scholarship."

"It wasn't _your_ scholarship," Hamilton muttered.

"Yes it _was_!" Aaron snarled. "You know it was! I worked for months, I spent years, getting into clubs and groups and getting myself into honor programs! I have worked my ass off for that scholarship, you know I did."

George frowned, thinking back. Then he remembered that the previous day, the day before the Christmas holiday had begun, that Thomas Jefferson had been elected to receive the yearly law scholarship. It was an incredible academic offer, one that George had been slightly disappointed in Hamilton for not applying for. After everything, it was an opportunity that normally, Hamilton would've never missed. But the scholarship had come at a bad time, since it was just after Philip Hamilton's murder.

Alexander was shaking his head. He looked exhausted. "Jefferson deserved it."

"No- you don't even believe that! He only won it because _you_ wrote that damn column about him! You _hate_ Thomas!"

"You seemed happy for him, when you two found out," Hamilton pointed out, wiping his chin with the back of his hand. It only succeeded in wiping the blood across his face even more. 

The sight of the blood made Aaron deflate a bit more. "I didn't know you'd sided with him." He said, more quietly. 

"This is a serious offense, Burr. We're lucky nobody was more seriously injured," George cut in, "and you'll need to see the chancellor about this, as well." 

Aaron nodded, looking down at his busted knuckles and sighing. 

George's eyes focused on the boy standing a ways off, Charles Lee. His eyes narrowed. "And you, you saw it all?" He questioned, feeling a stab of anger at the boy. It was one thing for Aaron Burr to attack Hamilton with his emotions running high and his inhibitions off. It was another thing for someone to simply stand there and let him. 

Charles Lee scowled. "...Yeah."

"Well then, I don't expect you'd need to go with Mr. Burr here to the chancellor."

Lee looked even more angry at the calm tone George used, but reluctantly started off. After another moment, Burr followed him, albeit more slowly. He turned back to Hamilton, though.

"I shouldn't have hit you," Aaron said, finally.

"It's fine."

Aaron let out another breath and continued walking back to the administration building. 

"Alexander, you, Lafayette, and I, will need to see the chancellor as well, concerning any legal issues."

"Alex?" Lafayette asked, shaking his friend's arm a bit. "Do you want me to call John? Or Herc? I'm sure Eliza and Angelica would--"

"No, thank you."

George frowned at the blank look in Alexander's eyes. "Son?"

Hamilton finally turned and met his eyes. "This is the same place Philip died. When the mugger shot him."

 _Oh._

Lafayette let out a noise of surprise. 

And, honestly, George was a bit surprised as well, although his was mainly spawned from the fact that Philip died on the school campus. Philip was a good five years younger than Alexander, so it must've been on a visit to stay with his older brother. And, given that Alexander had been quite protective over his sibling, George doubted Hamilton would've let the boy wander around campus himself.

It hadn't been all that long ago.

"Alexander," George repeated, trying to get the boy's head out of the dark place it was obviously in. "Son, let's get you patched up." 

The important thing was that Alexander would be okay. That was all George Washington could ask for.

**Author's Note:**

> lmao what was I thinking with this trashy fic
> 
> the ending was supposed to be happier and longer but you've gotta understand this is based off of the duel where burr shoots alex and alex dies and everything is much sadder and shorter so just be appreciative I managed to write this shit down okey


End file.
